The scope of the primary sources reflects a large media presence despite the narrow period that Ann Jane Thornton appeared in such sources. Newspaper articles featured as the largest body of press on her, supplemented by appearances in other forms of popular media including a ballad, broadside, an autobiography, two images and an exposé in The Lady 's Magazine & Museum of the Belles-lettres, Music, Fine Arts, Drama, Fashions, Etc. Descriptions of the exact content of the sources will be further elaborated on in the opening section of the chapter pertaining to Thornton exclusively, however due to the sheer volume of news articles a breakdown of the spread of newspapers addressed is needed. Sixty-five newspapers ran articles on Thornton between
…show more content…
Oram examined the role of the press in creating a commercial product out of the cross-dressers and shaping ‘a shared lexicon for the public discourse of sex and scandal’. She finds the articles often carried humorous tone throughout, downplaying the idea that these women were in any way seriously challenging masculinity in public spaces. This comes across clearly in the terminology used, as females ' cross-dressing was most often referred to as a ‘masquerade’, implying it to be more of a skilful form of trickery. This used humour as subversive as they utilized the more theatrical ‘masquerade’ as opposed to ‘impersonation’, the latter of which would imply a challenge to traditional ideas of masculinity. The commercial product that emerged presented the women as a sensation, something to be marvelled at. Dugaw’s work too examined the commercial character created, insisting that the differences between Female Warrior characters and plot lines are as important as the similarities they presented. Crucial to this is the ‘love lost’ angle that persisted in the plots of these stories. The prominence of the love angle in the formation of the commercial trope also drew Dugaw’s ire, as expressed by: ‘true love is the perennial explanation for a woman’s noteworthy behaviour’. This justification in the name of love, clearly apparent in Thornton’s tale, also gives rise to questions about the understanding of love in the 1830’s. The shaping of the commercial trope and the common elements found within its construction provide a valuable framework to aid in addressing the continuity and occasional nonconformities in Thornton’s story in comparison with the traditional narrative of the female
Oram examined the role of the press in creating a commercial product out of the cross-dressers and shaping ‘a shared lexicon for the public discourse of sex and scandal’. She finds the articles often carried humorous tone throughout, downplaying the idea that these women were in any way seriously challenging masculinity in public spaces. This comes across clearly in the terminology used, as females ' cross-dressing was most often referred to as a ‘masquerade’, implying it to be more of a skilful form of trickery. This used humour as subversive as they utilized the more theatrical ‘masquerade’ as opposed to ‘impersonation’, the latter of which would imply a challenge to traditional ideas of masculinity. The commercial product that emerged presented the women as a sensation, something to be marvelled at. Dugaw’s work too examined the commercial character created, insisting that the differences between Female Warrior characters and plot lines are as important as the similarities they presented. Crucial to this is the ‘love lost’ angle that persisted in the plots of these stories. The prominence of the love angle in the formation of the commercial trope also drew Dugaw’s ire, as expressed by: ‘true love is the perennial explanation for a woman’s noteworthy behaviour’. This justification in the name of love, clearly apparent in Thornton’s tale, also gives rise to questions about the understanding of love in the 1830’s. The shaping of the commercial trope and the common elements found within its construction provide a valuable framework to aid in addressing the continuity and occasional nonconformities in Thornton’s story in comparison with the traditional narrative of the female